Found this site while researching what I saw a couple years ago run across the road right in front of me maybe 20 yards. It was a jet black panther very shiny coat. Body about 4 feet long and tail close to same. tail was curled like a candy cane at end. It went across the road in one stride right across from a farm that was birthing calves. It wa s in middle of road when it came into my view. and it cleared the other side of road with no dificulty at all. It was a very horizontal stride not like a bounding stride. This was at night and cat was just inside headlights when I saw it. Truck was going round 50 mph. Id like to put out a digital camera and see if i can get some pics of this cat. I have been hunting all my life and I have no dificulty identifying animals. When I was young the nieghbor told me a story of a black cat around then. That was close to 30 years ago. Nieghbor has since passed. But I totaly agree with him. They are here. My location is Lebanon NY.

Black panthers are not native to this region. But, what does happen is that people acquire the big cats illegally. When they get too big, they drive up into the country and release it. Happens more often then you might think. Both the Catskills and the ADK's are big dumping grounds for these large cats. If two of them find each other and mate, then a population will grow. Native or not.

Really? People drop off their exotic pets? Have you ever known anyone to have a pet mountain lion? Have you ever known anyone who knew anyone who knew someone who had a pet mountain lion? I've heard this over and over again. It is often used to explain sightings and discount the idea that mountain lions may be moving back to the east coast. In my job I talk to hundreds of people every week.I've never met anyone who had a mountain lion as a pet. It's probably not as rare in places where mountain lions never left-as people may take in kittens that they find. But I bet it is more likely to work in that direction. The idea that the increase is sightings is due to released pets seems disconnected with the reality that nobody knows anyone who has ever kept such a pet.

Really? People drop off their exotic pets? Have you ever known anyone to have a pet mountain lion? Have you ever known anyone who knew anyone who knew someone who had a pet mountain lion? I've heard this over and over again. It is often used to explain sightings and discount the idea that mountain lions may be moving back to the east coast. In my job I talk to hundreds of people every week.I've never met anyone who had a mountain lion as a pet. It's probably not as rare in places where mountain lions never left-as people may take in kittens that they find. But I bet it is more likely to work in that direction. The idea that the increase is sightings is due to released pets seems disconnected with the reality that nobody knows anyone who has ever kept such a pet.

Hopefully, this should answer your question. This was published by the DEC in the NYS Conservationist magazine:

Assuming these incidents of free-roaming cougars are true, does this mean there is a wild breeding population of these big cats in northeastern North America? Not necessarily. It's more likely that these animals were accidental escapees or illegally released individuals that managed to survive for a time in the wild. Under strict guidelines spelled out in permits issued by DEC, people can possess live cougars for scientific, educational or exhibition purposes. However, it is illegal for cougars to be kept as pets. Despite this deterrent, a number of individuals illegally bring these cats into New York from other states. While cute and manageable as kittens, adults weigh more than 120 pounds and are expensive to keep, consuming large amounts of fresh meat. These captive cats can be unpredictable, posing a danger to their owners. It's not hard to imagine someone who illegally possesses such a dangerous animal to try to solve their problem by releasing the cat. Nor is it difficult to imagine such a strong animal escaping confinement.

In 1993, a hunter shot a juvenile cougar in Saratoga County, mistaking the animal for a bobcat. The animal's poor condition and other factors led DEC Wildlife Pathologist Ward Stone to conclude the young cougar was a recently escaped or released captive. DNA testing conducted on tissues from the animal supported the findings. The tests showed the cougar was closely related to cougars from South America, a source of some of the captive cougars in the U.S.

There have been other cases of free-roaming cougars in New York with captive origins. In fact, information I received a few years after beginning my log indicated that just before the sightings occurred in Oneonta, a cougar had indeed escaped from captivity in the area. Escapes don't eliminate the possibility of a wild cougar population, but it is likely that any real cougars sighted at large in New York are previously captive animals.

I was turkey hunting with my 16yo nephew yesterday .He calls me on his cell phone to tell me he has just seen a mountain lion walk past his blind.he states it was 60 or 70lbs and had a long tail,a smooth face with no tufts.I measured the unobstructed view of the lion at 60 yards.my nephew estimated the weight of a coyote he shot in the fall accurately.This sighting happened on mountain house rd as it transitions to State land in Palenville NY.This is the road/trail that heads up to north/south lake in Haines Falls.I spoke with another local person in the same vicinity that had a mountain lion sit on a cliff in his yard almost nightly for the whole summer 2 years ago.I will be setting up my trail cam in this area whenever I am able to get away.

misterdavey wrote:I was turkey hunting with my 16yo nephew yesterday .He calls me on his cell phone to tell me he has just seen a mountain lion walk past his blind.he states it was 60 or 70lbs and had a long tail,a smooth face with no tufts.I measured the unobstructed view of the lion at 60 yards.my nephew estimated the weight of a coyote he shot in the fall accurately.This sighting happened on mountain house rd as it transitions to State land in Palenville NY.This is the road/trail that heads up to north/south lake in Haines Falls.I spoke with another local person in the same vicinity that had a mountain lion sit on a cliff in his yard almost nightly for the whole summer 2 years ago.I will be setting up my trail cam in this area whenever I am able to get away.

mike wrote:Black panthers are not native to this region. But, what does happen is that people acquire the big cats illegally. When they get too big, they drive up into the country and release it. Happens more often then you might think. Both the Catskills and the ADK's are big dumping grounds for these large cats. If two of them find each other and mate, then a population will grow. Native or not.

The story the neighbors told me almost 30 years ago was that a circus lost some black cats while in town. So that would probably be the source but 30 years later they are still here.